Fire and Rain
by chibihinachan
Summary: When Rayna (RAY-nah) reminisces about when she and the rest of the Folcharts were together, and the night everything fell apart, she never dreams that she will find a familiar face in her kitchen. Why is he back, after disappearing on her for the second time in her life, when she needed him the most? OCxDustfinger. This is gonna be SAD! But will have an alt (happy)-ending!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Rayna Folchart, this plot, and anything else I've added to the original story.

Note: My knowledge of this story is only from what I've researched a well as the movie_ Inkheart_. Aside from that, I know nothing, so if I get something wrong, please forgive me, but please understand. Also, in case you didn't read the summary or skipped over it or whatever, THIS STORY IS GOING TO HAVE A SAD ENDING! That being said, I will also be posting an alternate ending to this story, because I love happy endings and I couldn't resist. The happy ending will contain smut, while the sad ending will not, therefore, until I've posted up the A-ending, this will be T-rated. PS: This is immediately after the movie ends, but it is pretty purely movie-verse. So no white women, adderheads (is that what they're called?) or whatever. Also, I altered the age for Meggie. She was 14 when they found Resa again, which means she was 2 when Resa went into the book (12 years between Resa's disappearance and reappearance). I hope you enjoy!

Please note: **xxx** - Flashback boundaries, xxx - scene breaks, _'blah blah blah' - _thoughts, and "blah blah blah" - spoken word

* * *

Rayna watched the crowd of afternoon mass go by as she sat in a quaint café on the corner of a relatively historical street on the outskirts of northern Italy. Sipping her coffee (mocha latte with extra foam), she allowed her mind to travel back in time, to a time when her whole family was with her.

**xxx**

"Hurry_ up_, we're going to be _late_!" A 15 year old Meggie Folchart tugged at a then-17 year old Rayna as they walked down the spiraling path of the mountain leading down from Aunt Elinor's mansion to the rest of the city. It was the end of June, and they were headed to the park, where a surprise was apparently waiting for them, according to their new-found mother Theresa. The rest of the family, Mo, Resa, and even Aunt Elinor were already quite a ways away from the pair of girls.

"Relax, Megs, we still have time." Rayna wearily pushed up her purple half-framed glasses and allowed herself to be tugged down the road.

"But Mother said-"

"Meggie, will you calm down? I know a short cut." Rayna always knew a short cut, how else was she to sneak in and out of the mansion without being detected when it was past her bedtime? But while Meggie knew that, she also knew that Rayna was notorious for being late. For _everything_.

"You ALWAYS say that, and we ALWAYS end up late." Meggie complained, and Rayna rolled her eyes and sighed, quickening her pace just to shut her younger sister up. She watched the younger girl run a bit further down the road, waving her along every now and then, and mused over how different they were.

Meggie was beautiful, with golden-blonde hair like their mother's, as well as bright blue eyes, also so much like Resa's, while Rayna had flowing dark brown hair like her father, except much mousier than his (in her opinion), and her eyes were grey, reminding her of ghosts and cemeteries every time she looked in a mirror at herself. It seemed that she'd inherited grey eyes from a distant uncle on Resa's paternal side of the family, and the trait made her look older than she was, although her mother and father constantly told her that she looked 'wise'. Yeah, right. Meggie even had her mother's English accent, although how that happened, she had no idea. And _everyone_ knew that_ anything_ sounded better with an English accent.

"Ray, come _on_!" Rayna snapped out of her thoughts and saw Meggie already at the end of the road, frantically waving her to move faster. Puffing up her cheeks and rolling her eyes, Rayna picked up her sneakers-cloven feet and walked briskly down the rest of the way.

xxx

They were at the edge of the park, and both Meggie and Rayna could see the large crowd gathered in the middle. Intrigued, they wiggled to the front of the crowd, not surprised to find their family waiting for them.

"Ooooohh!" The crowd gasped, and immediately Rayna knew why. There, in the middle of the park (and the crowd) stood two long-time friends Farid and Dustfinger, the latter an old friend of hers while the former was only a name she'd heard of, as he'd been summoned out of a book just last year.

Rayna had been abroad at the time, in boarding school while Mo and Meggie brought Resa her voice back and defeated Capricorn and the shadow. Unfortunately, they hadn't been able to send Dustfinger back to his own storyline, with Mo forbidding Meggie from reading aloud, and him not wanting to lose his family ever again. Disappointed, Dustfinger had taken Farid to be his apprentice, and they'd begun to travel the world. Or, at least, that's what Mo and Meggie told Rayna. She of course knew who Dustfinger was, remembering the incident years before, when Resa had been taken into the book and Dustfinger, Capricorn, and Basta had been brought out. She'd only been 4, but she still remembered flashes of the night. The shouting as her father protected his daughters from Capricorn's sword. Mo's shoves as she and Meggie moved into the kitchen, letting the 'adults' talk. The anger in everyone's voice, even if she didn't understand anything. Her trying to calm Meggie down enough so that she could hear what they were saying, but it was too late. The strange men were gone all too soon, and she was being hugged too tightly by her father as Meggie's crying voice shrieked in her ears.

"Dustfinger! Farid!" Meggie shouted, thrilled to see her old friends. She clapped her hands as the boys made shows of pushing the fires towards her, laughing as Gwin screeched while aloft Dustfinger's shoulder. Meggie's voice brought Rayna back to reality, and she smiled at her sister's happiness. Clapping her hands, she watched in amusement every time Farid fumbled slightly while looking at Meggie. How those two were able to keep their hands off each other was beyond her, but her eyes were only for Dustfinger. His grace as he moved, shaping and molding the fire to bend to his every whim, it was enchanting. Alright, so she had a little crush on the man. Who wouldn't, considering he was topless, tanned and muscled perfectly, his scars only adding to his appeal? Biting her inner cheek, Rayna struggled to keep her emotions in check as she reminded herself that her parents were next to her. Her _parents_, for God's sake. Mo would have a fit over her even thinking about Dustfinger like that.

The performance finished soon after, and the crowd slowly dispersed, allowing the Folchart family to move in and speak freely, Rayna walking slower than the rest. Mo clapped Dustfinger on the back as Resa smiled at the pair. Meggie ran towards Farid, only to realize what she was doing and stop suddenly, blushing and not meeting Farid's blushing gaze. Elinor went off in her own direction, muttering about fire-eaters and how dirty and grimy martins were. Rayna smiled towards the group, slowly walking up to them.

"My, Rayna, you've grown." Dustfinger stopped speaking to Mo to bow to her slightly, and shiver ran down her spine at the way he said 'My Rayna'. If only there was no pause between the words. But wait, Mo was speaking.

"She's going to be entering university soon." Mo said proudly, and Rayna rolled her eyes sardonically.

"University...ahh, that's a higher form of education, yes?" Farid asked Dustfinger, who nodded. Rayna noticed that he seemed astonished, and sure enough, he said, "Well, well, Little Ray's all grown up. It seems like just yesterday I dropped into your living room, and you were holding little Meggie so tightly in your arms."

Resa pursed her lips, but said nothing. She didn't like remembering the past, especially when so much of it had been when she was separated from her family. Rayna, noticing her mother's silence, quickly said, "I'll be an adult in a couple of months, so stop treating me like a child." She intended to sound lofty, but it seemed that she'd just ended up sounding squeaky.

Dustfinger looked down at the girl, who was now just half a head shorter than him, and he laughed. "Ah, but that's all the more reason for me to speak to you like this! I won't be able to do so when you're an adult."

"I'm sure you'll find a way." Rayna muttered, half-annoyed that he still considered her a child, and half worried that he'd never stop thinking that way of her. She heard Dustfinger laugh and exclaimed 'Hey!' as he ruffled her hair. The 'adults' of the group joined in the laughter and Rayna exhaled loudly, making a show of walking away. True, she wanted to get closer to Dustfinger, but if he wasn't going to act like this , she'd rather be alone.

She walked for some time, passing elderly couples on park benches, until she reached the border of the lake that happened to run through the city. She walked down towards the beachy area and sat down, rolling up her pants so she could stick her feet in the water. It was a brilliantly warm and sunny day, but not so much that it was scorching. Plus, with the wind coming off of the lake, it was truly breathtaking. She didn't know how long she'd sat there, but after some time, she heard a voice.

"So this is where you were." Rayna smiled despite herself, but didn't look away from the beautiful view. Dustfinger sat down and made himself comfortable, watching the girl from the corner of his eye.

It had been a long time since their last meeting. She had been…14? Stuck in puberty, and in junior high, as they called it here. She'd been carefree, childish, much like his Brianna might be when she reached that age. That was the year they'd truly become friends. She'd opened up about her insecurities to Gwin one day, not knowing that Dustfinger was in the vicinity. Upon finding out, she'd waited for him to speak, as if she was resigned to the fact that he would give some useless parental advice like "It's going to get better." When he hadn't, she'd willingly opened up to him, and they'd begun to talk about her life, how boys were stupid and immature, how the girls in her class were shallow and mean to her, how her best friend had used her to get with a boy. At that time, it seemed like he was her whole world. Which, of course, was why he left. He wasn't from this world, he'd reminded himself. He shouldn't be getting so close to someone he'd leave eventually, especially not a young, impressionable girl, who by the looks of it, had begun to have a bit of a crush on him. And so he'd left. He'd wondered if she would be angry at him, if she would hold a grudge when he came back.

And then, when he had, last year, he'd found out that she was at a boarding school, away from her family. How Mo could stand to not have his daughter within his reach was something Dustfinger would never understand. But after he'd been unable to get back home, despite begging Mo and Meggie, Dustfinger had left to travel the world looking for another Silvertongue, dejected. But now he was back. And here she was, all grown up. Her hair was longer than before, reaching halfway down her back in something the people here called Angel Braids. Her face was no longer pock-marked with teenage acne, and she had learned to dress herself like a woman instead of a child playing dress up. Despite his teasing, Dustfinger _had_ noticed that she'd changed.

"So, what's up, little one?" Dustfinger attempted to speak colloquially, smiling as he heard Rayna snort in laughter while nudging him in the side.

"Little one? What are you, my grandfather?" Rayna giggled, her heart fluttering as she heard Dustfinger chuckle next to her. Still looking out at the lake, she said, "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Three years, nearly four." Dustfinger mused.

"Mm." They sat together, not saying anything. Dustfinger felt Rayna wiggle closer to him and put her head on his shoulder, and he smiled, relieved that one of his few friends in this world wasn't still mad at him. He put his arm around her shoulder and they sat like that, just watching the water. Soon, it was time to go, so they rose from the ground and shook off the water as best as they could before they simply decided to walk back barefoot. They made it halfway before Rayna let out a shriek and dropped to the ground.

"Ahh! My foot!" Rayna felt tears prick her eyes as pain shot up her leg. In a flurry, Dustfinger was next to her, carefully lifting her foot up to examine it. Sure enough, there was a large shard of glass sticking out and blood running down the length of the foot.

"Damn." Dustfinger cursed and quickly lifted her up, stopping only to put on his own shoes. It wouldn't do for the two of them to have bloody feet. He ran towards the rest of the Folcharts and Farid, who'd heard Rayna's scream.

"What happened?" Mo was with them in seconds, Resa close behind.

"I'm so sorry! We were walking back, our feet were wet and she-"

"It _hurts_!" Rayna clung to Dustfinger's shirt, and the Resa quickly said, "No time. Hospital! Mo, call 911! Rayna, look at me. Good girl, it's going to be alright. Dustfinger, you need to keep holding her, so have a seat. You'll get tired soon enough."

Rayna watched as her family flew into action, her mother and sister trying to calm her down even though they were making things worse. Closing her teary eyes, Rayna turned away from them to look up at Dustfinger. Looking into his eyes, Rayna saw pain, regret, guilt, and she relaxed immediately. Shaking her head slightly, ignoring how her family's voices melted away, she said softly, "It's not your fault." Just then, the ambulance came, and they were moving into the back of the truck as paramedics looked at her foot.

"I'm coming too." Mo said stubbornly, but one of the paramedics shook his head. "Sorry sir, only 1 other person allowed." Mo looked at Dustfinger, and him back at the first.

"I'll get out."

"No." Dustfinger looked down and saw Rayna grasping his arm.

"But your father-"

"You left me once, are you going to leave me again?" She knew it was a low blow, but she really just wanted Dustfinger with her. She held his gaze for a moment, watching as he relaxed back into his seat and nodded. Nodding back at him, Rayna looked back at her father. "I'll be fine, Mo. Meet us in the hospital." The last look she saw was one of understanding, if a little disappointment, before the doors closed. She relaxed back into her seat and looked straight at Dustfinger, her hand still firmly on his arm.

"She wanted Dustfinger?" Resa asked, not understanding. Mo nodded, worry lines popping up on his forehead as he drove through Italy to get to the hospital. Meggie and Farid were in the back seat, their hands entwined as he comforted her.

"Why?"

"3 years ago, when Ray was 14, Dustfinger came by the house. He was hoping to get me to send him home, but I wouldn't. At the time, Ray was going through a bit of a rough patch. I don't know the details, because she didn't really talk. Anyways, she and Dustfinger somehow became friends, and she trusted him. She told him things that she would never tell me."

"Like what?" Resa asked, and Mo smiled wryly.

"That's the thing, isn't it? I don't know. But somehow, he earned her trust, and I trust her judgement. As long as he doesn't hurt her, I'm fine with him being friends with her."

_'But what I saw just now wasn't just friendship…'_ Resa thought. They soon arrived at the hospital.

xxx

"Really, I'm fine." Rayna said for the umpteenth time. They were back in Aunt Elinor's mansion, and Mo, Resa, and Dustfinger were gathered around her, Dustfinger occupying a seat next to her bed while her parents stood on her other side. It was just a flesh wound, no bones were touched, and the doctors had repeatedly assured the family (and Dustfinger) that she would be up in no time.

"Alright, sweetheart. You get some rest. We'll bring up dinner soon. Do you need anything?" Resa bent down to kiss her daughter's forehead, and Rayna smiled up at her mother. She shook her head and said, "I think I'm good." Mo squeezed his daughter's hand before he too got up to leave, leaving Dustfinger alone with her. Rayna looked at the man, and seeing his distraught face, she half-chortled, saying, "Oh Dusty, will you stop beating yourself up? I'm_ fine_. This wasn't your fault."

Dustfinger raised a surprised eyebrow at the girl. "Dusty?" He watched her grin and nod.

"Dusty. Or, I could call you ginger if you prefer." Rayna reached up to tug lightly on a wave of Dustfinger's hair, straightening the curl before she let it go to let it bounce back into the wave again.

Dustfinger rolled his eyes and said, "Are those my only options?"

Rayna grinned and nodded cheekily. "Yep."

Dustfinger grinned back, laughing softly. "Then choose whichever you want, _Rain_." It was a running joke between them, her calling him Dusty or Ginger, and him calling her Rain. He used to tease her, saying that she was the thing he hated the most, being a fire-eater, but Rayna liked to think of it as her being the only one to calm him down when he got a little too 'hot'. Which, while not always true, had been proven true on some occasions when arguments had broken out between her father and Dustfinger on his last visit. Now, she smiled up at him and nodded.

"Dusty it is."

Dustfinger made an over-exaggerated groan and shook his head, smiling slightly. Rayna, still smiling, patted the space next to her on her bed and said, "Come sit with me." Seeing him about to refuse, Rayna said in a hurt voice, "You caused me so much pain, you're not going to fulfill such a small request?"

Dustfinger contorted his face in a pained expression before he heard Rayna laugh through her nose. "Does it still hurt a lot?"

"Oh come on, it was a joke! Seriously, it's nothing I can't handle." Rayna tugged his arm in an effort to get him to sit on the bed next to her, and reluctantly, Dustfinger crawled in with her. Snuggling in just like she used to, Rayna sighed contentedly. "Ah, that's better. You make a good pillow."

"Dusty the pillow? That doesn't sound too good."

Rayna giggled and said, "Yup, Dusty the pillow. The Dusty pillow." She 'eep'ed as Dustfinger poked her in the side lightly, steadying her with his arm around her shoulders to keep her from hurting herself.

"It's not nice to make fun."

"Oh, like you're one to talk." Rayna retorted, only to giggle and sigh again. She reached up to take off her glasses, and rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly. It had been a long day, and she was only now feeling the effects of tiredness. She didn't complain when Dustfinger took her glasses from her and put them on her bedside table, simply turning into his chest and closing her eyes. For a few moments, neither spoke, just sitting together in comfortable silence.

"Why did you leave?" Rayna asked softly, her eyes still closed. She remembered how hurt she'd been when she'd found out from her father. Coming back from school to find the guest room empty had hurt her childish heart so much back then, but she also knew that he was naturally a traveller. It was in his nature to leave. And then, within 6 months, she'd been off to boarding school, a preparatory school for young ladies that Aunt Elinor had funded personally. She'd found girls there similar to her, and she'd made some friends, biding her time until she could see her friend again. She hadn't even thought of the possibility that he would find his own way back to his world, simply assuming that he wouldn't leave without telling her goodbye.

Dustfinger heard Rayna's whispered question and he wondered how to respond. After a moment, he said quietly, "You know I get anxious if I'm in one place for too long. It was time for me to leave."

"Without saying goodbye?" Rayna's voice, now clear, plainly showed her confusion. Dustfinger pulled her closer and said, "I'm sorry. I should have said goodbye before I left. If I'd known that we wouldn't see each other for nearly 4 years, I would have stayed a little longer." He felt her shake her head into his shoulder.

"I understand. It's in your nature to leave us. I missed you though." Rayna blushed lightly as she spoke those last words. That was as close to a confession as she was going to give him. She knew she still had some growing up to do before she could even consider herself an equal to him. That, and the fact that he still had a family that he yearned for back in his own story. She'd found a copy of _Inkheart_ while in boarding school, and she'd read about his wife, Roxanne, and his two children Brianna and Rosanna. As she read about his life in Inkworld, Rayna's heart hurt, feeling his love for his wife and children. She knew it was wrong to have a crush on a married man, of course it was! But even so, she couldn't help herself. How could she, when he was the only man in her life who'd ever understood her, both implicitly and explicitly. So she'd locked up her feelings and never looked back. Until today.

Dustfinger rubbed his hand on her arm, softly saying "I'm back now."

_'Right, but you're going to leave me again.'_ Rayna thought, sighing inwardly. Slowly, she fell asleep.

xxx

A month went by relatively uneventfully, except perhaps for Dustfinger and Mo constantly arguing over Meggie's ability to send him home.

"No, I won't allow it. I'm not losing my family again."

"But what about _my_ family? I've waited 13 years, do you know what that's like? Oh wait, you do! You and Resa were separated, why can't you understand that I want to go home?"

"Mo…" Resa spoke up, placing her hand on her husbands chest, but Mo shook his head again.

"No. No, Resa. I lost you once, I'm not losing you or anyone else again. I'm sorry Dustfinger, but you'll have to find some other way."

'But there IS no other way…' Rayna thought, watching Dustfinger leave angrily. She glanced back at her parents for a second before she followed him out, no one else noticing her disappearance.

Dustfinger walked out, past the garden he loved to fire dance in, and into the meadows surrounding the mansion. He was furious at Mo, but at the same time he understood him. If he were in his shoes, he'd probably do the same thing. After a short while, he heard Rayna's telltale footsteps , and in moments she was next to him.

"I'm sorry about my father." Rayna said quietly, just to fill in the silence. Dustfinger bit the inside of his lip to stop himself from snapping at her. Honestly, he just wanted some silence. He'd thought that with Meggie keeping Farid preoccupied, he'd have some peace to himself, but here was Rayna, chattering on in his ear.

"I...I wish I had Mo and Meggie's ability. If I did I could send you home." Rayna chattered on, not noticing Dustfinger's growing sour expression. She felt a slight twinge of guilt as she realized that in some small part of her, she didn't mean what she said. If she really had the ability, would she be able to let him go forever? But as she spoke thoughtlessly, she heard Dustfinger's voice in the clear air, sharp and quick like a bee sting.

"For God's sake will you shut up? I just want some peace and quiet, is that too much to ask?" Dustfinger immediately regretted his words, feeling rather than seeing Rayna's whole figure slump. "Rain…"

"No. You're right, I was being thoughtless. I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone." Rayna said quietly, unable to mask the hurt in her voice before she turned and walked up to the house again. Vaguely, she heard Dustfinger curse behind her, but she kept her pace, not looking back. As she neared the house, Rayna grew determined. Despite her own feelings, Dustfinger wanted to go home. He had a wife and kids for God's sake! She had to find a way to send him home. Spying Meggie and Farid sitting on the back porch, Rayna walked up to them.

"Farid, would you mind giving me a moment with my sister?" Farid looked up at the older Folchart sibling and then back at Meggie. Her voice left no room for discussion, despite the questioning tone. Reluctantly, he let go of Meggie's hand and went into the house. "See you later, Meggie."

Meggie waved at the boy before looking at her sister. She knew that tone, and she didn't like it. "What is it, Ray?"

Rayna took a deep breath and sat down. "Meggie, you know how much Dustfinger wants to go home, right?" She watched the younger Folchart nod before she continued. "I know Mo's forbidden you to read, but don't you think Dustfinger deserves to go back home?"

"But if Mo said no-"

"Meggie, what if it was Resa? What if she had a way of coming back, but she couldn't because someone forbid it?" Rayna pushed, watching her sister bite her lip. She watched in dismay as Meggie shook her head.

"I don't want one of us to leave again. I'm sorry, Ray." Sighing, Rayna slumped forwards. It seems her father had gotten to Meggie too. What would she do now? _'But what if…'_

"What if you brought all of us over?"

"What?" Meggie didn't understand.

"What if you brought all of us over to his world? Dustfinger, Farid, Mo, Resa, you, and me? If we're all there, no one will be left alone, right?" Rayna pressed, and Meggie began to wrap her head around the idea.

"All of us...in Inkworld?"

"That's right."

"Well...if Mo says it's alright, then I guess it's fine. Although I'm not in control of my erm...powers, just yet, so I don't know if I can bring all of us there." Meggie hedged.

"But you can try! And the important thing is that Dustfinger gets home. If none of us go in but him, it'll still be a success!" Rayna said excitedly, until she began to realize that this plan might actually work. He might actually leave them. Forever. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she got up and said, "I'm going to go talk to Mo. Don't breathe a word of this to anyone. Not even Farid, understood? I don't want Dustfinger finding out, and then have to be disappointed."

"Farid wouldn't say-"

"Meggie, no." Rayna said firmly. The boy idolized the man, of course he'd want to tell him. Receiving confirmation that Meggie would keep her mouth shut, Rayna left to talk to Mo.

xxx

"No." Mo stated flatly.

"But-"

"I said no."

"But Mo, if we're all there, what could go wrong?"

"What could go wrong? Well, we're not the only ones who get popped in and out of worlds. Who knows how many people I've accidentally popped into other worlds while reading out loud? I feel sick just thinking about all the people in the world we don't know who's lives we could ruin."

"But what if we created a story with a fool-proof line? One that would only bring all of us and no one else?"

"And how do we do that?"

"I'll write the story, then we all read it and see if we need to change any of the wording. If not, then we can try, can't we? Please, Mo. Dustfinger just wants to go home, like Mother did." Rayna was just spouting ideas now, but it _could_ work.

"Mortimer, I think it's a good idea." Resa stuck up for her elder daughter. Mo looked between two of the ladies in his life and he sighed.

"Fine."

"Thank you, Mo! Thank you, thank you!" Rayna rushed to hug her father before running off to her room. She'd better get cracking!

"What's gotten into her?" Mo asked, confused

"Oh honey, you know better than me that she won't ever give up if she's got her heart set on something." Resa mused. Was she wrong about Rayna's feelings?

xxx

Nearly a week went by with no word from Rayna about the new 'storyline', but one day she finally came out, crazy-eyed and mussed hair. Walking straight into Mo's study, she shoved a piece of paper under his nose. "Here."

Mo took off his glasses and looked up at her before looking down at the paper. He slowly read the storyline and said, "I'll think about it."

"But Mo-"

"Rayna, I'm busy right now. I'll think about it later. It's a big decision." And it was. He was about to decide whether he would uproot his family into a whole new world, where nothing was as it was here. What if they weren't able to come back? What if they got trapped there by people like Capricorn and Basta? There was too much to think about. Last year, they had defeated Capricorn, true, but he wasn't dead, unlike Basta. It was possible that he had found a way back into Inkworld already. What would they do if he somehow came after them in that world, and they were helpless?

Rayna pursed her lips and walked out of the study and into the library, one of her and Meggie's favorite places in the whole mansion. She browsed through the bookcases filled with books, searching for something to pique her interest, when she heard shrieks and laughter from outside. Walking over to the window, she cranked it open with the little handle and peeked out. There, in the garden, were Meggie, Farid and Dustfinger. Farid was showing off to Meggie while Dustfinger practiced, both of them topless. Rayna leaned against the window sill and watched the trio, a small smile on her face. Would they still be like this when they went into Inkworld? Probably not. Dustfinger would probably be too busy with his own family, and Farid would have to choose between his mentor and his crush. As for Rayna, what would she do?

"Ray! Come down and play!" Meggie's girlish voice rang through the air and Rayna grinned down, waving.

"Be right down!" She yelled down and quickly ran down the stairs and out the back door to meet them. As she ran up to Meggie, Rayna grabbed her hand and twirled her around, laughing.

"Ray, what's gotten into you?!" Meggie exclaimed, half breathless from laughing as the pair of girls finally collapsed on the ground. Rayna turned her head to shine a grin in her direction and shrugged. "I just feel good today." Meggie shook her head in surprise. Sisters were weird, and hers was no exception.

Dustfinger and Farid came to sit down with the girls, Farid sitting next to Meggie while Dustfinger sat across from Rayna. Rayna looked over at Farid and Meggie just in time to catch them holding hands. Shooting a mischievous smile at Dustfinger she launched into a song.

"Aw, look at that. Meggie and Farid, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-_G_!" Meggie poked her older sister in the side just in time to make her squeak out the last letter, both Meggie and Farid blushing as Rayna giggled.

"Ray, stop it!" The girls stood up, Rayna backing away quickly from Meggie as she continued to taunt her little sister.

"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes-" Rayna turned and ran quickly as Meggie darted towards her, yelling, "Rayna Elinor Folchart you stop right there!"

"What's wrong, baby sister? Scared of the truth?"

"That's it! I'm going to get you for this!" Meggie gave chase, and soon enough the girls had made a full circle. Rayna quickly darted behind Dustfinger, who was now standing up as he watched in amusement.

"Dustfinger, help me!"

"Dustfinger, stop her!"

The two sisters called out for him, but Dustfinger simply stood watching them, not doing anything. Meggie yelled out, "Farid, get her!"

"Ah, but we're not that close-" "Farid!" Farid attempted to wiggle his way out, but Meggie's glare stopped him in his blushing tracks. Turning to Rayna apologetically, he shrugged and half-heartedly reached towards her.

"Ack! Dustfinger, help me!" Rayna squealed, giddy from laughter. She clung onto him laughing. She saw Meggie and Farid begin their approach again and she quickly turned to run some more, only to find herself anchored to Dustfinger's body. Looking down, she saw that his arms were around her waist, and he was looking down at her with a sardonic grin.

"Dustfinger?"

"You're not getting away this time." Rayna's eyes grew wide as she realized that he'd caught her to feed her to the wolves, so to speak. Struggling against him, laughing, she squealed out, "No! Dustfinger stop it! Ah!" She felt him push her lightly from behind as Meggie and Farid walked up to her with wicked smiles.

Rayna panted, trying to catch her breath, ready to accept her fate. In a flurry of motion she found herself on the grassy ground being tickled from on top by Meggie. Squirming and laughing, Rayna allowed her sister a few moments of victory before she used her strength to flip them over, tackling her instead. But it wasn't more than a few more moments before Meggie somehow flipped them back over so that she was on top. Both laughing out of control, Rayna and Meggie wrestled on the ground, laughing, until suddenly they were rolling down the hill at top speed.

They kept rolling, head over feet, Rayna's legs getting caught in Meggie's dress, until suddenly Rayna felt a bump on her back, and she and Meggie were pulled apart.

"Alright, that's enough, you two." Dustfinger grabbed hold of the older sister, helping her up as Farid dusted Meggie off, both of them panting with wide grins and dirt smears on their clothing. Meggie's purple flowered sundress was ruined, and Rayna's jeans were so grimy it hardly looked blue anymore. Shaking his head, Dustfinger said, "And you want me to treat you like an adult?" Rayna simply stuck out her tongue, but ended up clinging to him in the next second as a wave of dizziness hit her. She would have sunk to the ground if not for Dustfinger's steady arm around her waist. He held her closer, worry showing on his face.

"Whoa. Are you alright?" Rayna gave him the one-finger 'hold on' signal as she steadied herself before she nodded slowly.

"I think so. Thanks." She looked up towards Meggie, wanting to make sure her baby sister was alright too. She shouldn't have worried. Farid was doing an excellent job of holding Meggie up. Deciding to take one last poke at them, Rayna weakly called out, "That's right Meggie. Hold onto your man." She grinned as Meggie turned and stuck out her tongue, not seeing Farid's blush and small smile.

"Oh, like you're any better." Meggie retorted. Curiously, she noticed Rayna blush lightly when she said that.

"But the difference between us is that Dustfinger's not my man." Rayna snuck a peek at Dustfinger, and upon finding him watching, she shrugged and said, "Sorry." Dustfinger wasn't sure how to take that, so he cracked a joke.

"Oh, I'm not your man? Then I suppose I should just leave you alone then." Dustfinger feinted letting her go, smirking when Rayna held on tighter.

"No! Come on Dusty, don't be mean." But before Dustfinger could say another word in retort, Mo came out of the mansion and motioned for the four to hurry up.

"Come in, everyone. Aunt Elinor has something to tell all of us. She says it's important." The four looked at each other, confused, before they began walking again, the boys helping the girls along.

xxx

"Ah, there you are. You're late. Girls, why are your clothes so dirty? Honestly, young ladies such as yourselves should not be so indelicate." Aunt Elinor had been away for some time now, nearly three weeks. Now that she was back, everyone could see that despite her tone, there was something wrong. She was becoming quite thin, and her face was somewhat pallid.

"Aunt Elinor, what is it?"

"Good to see you too, Rayna. Yes, well, now that the pleasantries are over, I suppose I should tell you what's happening." Aunt Elinor tried to remain as composed as possible, but anyone could see that she was weak. Taking in a deep breath, she spoke while smoothing out the quilt laying over her as she sat on the one-seater couch.

"I have cancer."

"What?" Rayna whispered, her eyes wide. She wasn't very fond of the woman, but she did have her moments. She was the only one to tell her the truth when it needed to be told, and she was the only one aside from Dustfinger who knew when she needed a hug. True, Aunt Elinor would never personally hug anyone, but she would find some way of helping. A cup of hot chocolate left dismissively on the table, a pat on the shoulder with a slight squeeze, little things. To have cancer, a woman so vibrant and eccentric, it must have been quite an ordeal for her to fully grasp the situation and speak about it without qualms.

"Goodness, girl, have you gone deaf? It must be from all the iPods and mp3's you young people are listening to nowadays. _I have cancer._ I have been out speaking to my doctors, but they say that in a few months I will be bedridden, damn it. So I'm here to put my affairs in order before my mind is too addled to do so." Aunt Elinor spoke sharply, ignoring Meggie's gasp. She'd come to terms with the disease nearly two weeks ago. She was through with the emotional part. It was now time for the business part.

"How long?" Mo asked quietly. Resa moved to sit on the arm of Elinor's chair.

"They say that with medication and chemotherapy I can live up to 5 years. Of course, if chemo fails, I won't survive much longer than weeks after."

"Oh, Aunt Elinor…" Rayna spoke with remorse.

"Don't 'Oh Aunt Elinor' me. I'm not frail just yet. I gathered all of you here to let you know, as you are my family. That's all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to my room. I have some reading I'd like to do before dinner." Aunt Elinor got up, dropped the quilt blanket back on the couch, and walked up the stairs to her bedroom, not looking back.

As soon as Aunt Elinor left, Meggie asked, "Isn't there something we can do, Mo?" She gripped Farid's hand tightly in her own, her eyes wide. Mo shook his head sadly. "I don't think so, sweetie. The doctors know best. The only thing we can do is try and keep her as comfortable as possible."

Rayna walked out of the room, her thoughts muddled with shock, and kept walking until she was out in the garden again. She sat down on the porch, swinging her legs idly. Her thoughts bounced around from Aunt Elinor's cancer until it eventually arrived where all her thought inevitably reached: Dustfinger. If everyone was so preoccupied with Aunt Elinor's cancer, how was she going to get him home? She knew that they couldn't leave her here by herself, that was just not an option. But taking her with them? That would be worse than death. In Inkworld, they didn't know what type of medicine was practiced. There was no technology, which meant there probably wasn't going to be medication or chemotherapy to help ease Aunt Elinor's pain. So, that meant that someone would have to stay behind. It couldn't be Mo or Resa, not when those two had just been reunited. And Mo would never allow Meggie to stay. There was only one person left. Her. Could she do it? Could she stay here alone, away from her family, and wait for them to come back? What if they got trapped in Inkworld? What if she never saw her family again? Would she be able to stand it?

_'But Dustfinger needs to go home, and Mo won't try anything unless everyone goes in too.'_ Rayna thought. She thought back to how desperate Dustfinger always looked when he pleaded with Mo, how gaunt and lifeless he looked when he was rejected yet again. How could she deny him a chance at a reunion for her own selfish reasons? He'd been away from his family for 13 years already. That was long enough. She could handle not seeing her family for (what she thought would be) at most a few days. Determined, she planned out her argument, readying herself to face her father. Ready, she stood up purposefully and turned around, only to immediately walk into Dustfinger's body.

"Ow." Rayna reeled back, clutching her nose as it had smashed into his chin. She heard Dustfinger's chuckle and she looked up at him. "What's the big idea, standing right behind me like that?"

"Well, I expected you to notice me. After all, I've been here for several minutes already." Dustfinger looked down at the girl. Something had been in her eyes right before the collision. She'd come to some sort of conclusion. About what, he had no idea.

"So, what are you doing out here?"

Rayna looked back at Dustfinger, wondering how she should respond. Finally, she shrugged and said, "Just thinking." _'About how to get you home.'_

Dustfinger raised an eyebrow in an 'I don't believe you' way, but Rayna kept her mouth sealed. She pushed past him and said, "I need to change for dinner. I'll see you in a bit." Dustfinger watched her walk into the house, not at all surprised when she took a left towards Mo's study rather than up the staircase into her room. He slinked his way after her, silently shadowing her until he was behind the door of Mo's study, listening.

"-an idea."

"Ray, we can't deal with this now. Not with Aunt Elinor's cancer."

"But that's the thing! I found a way around it." Dustfinger's eyebrows furrowed as he heard Mo sigh and what sounded like his chair creak back.

"Alright, let's hear it then.'

"I'll stay."

"...What?"

"I'll stay. I'll look after Aunt Elinor while you all go into the story. Everyone wins."

"And how exactly do you figure that?" Mo sounded furious, but Dustfinger was confused.

"Hear me out. Someone has to stay here are look after Aunt Elinor. It can't be you or Mother because you just spent 12 years apart, and I'm not going to ask you to get separated again. It won't be Meggie because she's too young, and frankly, you were always more overprotective of her than me. Now, we could all stay and no one go in the book, but Dustfinger needs to go home. Which means your only option is to have me stay. I don't have any abilities like you or Meggie, so no one's going to come after me, which means Aunt Elinor will be safe too."

"But you're too young to be alone. And I won't have us be split apart again. No."

"But Mo, I'll be an adult in just over a month. I'm responsible, you know that. I'll take good care of Aunt Elinor. And Dustfinger deserves a shot to be with his family. Mo, you know as well as he does the heartbreak of not having your family in one piece. Can't you let him get home? I can make the necessary amendments so that I stay instead of going, and Meggie can read it so that all of you are sent in. And when you're done helping him get back to his family you can read yourselves out again." Rayna spoke quickly, as if she wanted to get the words out as soon as possible.

Outside, Dustfinger stood confused. He hadn't heard everything, so he had no idea what was going on, but he really hoped the part about him going home was true.

Mo looked at his elder daughter. Her face was determined, much more so than he'd ever seen it. She was going to get her way, no matter what. And honestly, it seemed like a good plan. Sure it was dangerous as hell, but he did feel guilty for keeping Dustfinger away from his family. Mo took off his reading glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, thinking. Finally, he leaned forwards and rested his elbows on his desk, his fingers intertwined under his chin, and he said, "I'll have to talk with your mother first." Rayna shot him a brilliant smile and ran around the desk to hug her father.

"Thank you Mo, thank you so much!"

"I haven't said yes to anything. If your mother says it's not a good idea, we're not doing this. Understood?" Rayna nodded happily. Her mother would surely understand. "Good. And not a word to Dustfinger. I don't want him getting his hopes up again." Mo warned, and Rayna grinned, practically skipping across the room and flinging the door open.

Dustfinger heard Mo warn Rayna not to break a word of the conversation to him, but his mind was elsewhere. She'd done it! She'd really convinced Mo to send him home. Before he could be discovered, Dustfinger melted into the shadows, watching Rayna practically bounce out of the room. He quirked a smile at her happiness. _ 'So that's what she was thinking about.'_

xxx

"What?! Are you crazy?! No! We can't leave you here!" It was just after dinner, and Mo, Resa, and Rayna had convened in his study once more. Resa had just been told of the plan, and she was beside herself with disbelief.

"Mother, please! Dustfinger wants to go home, Mo won't do anything to help him or let Meggie do for fear that one of us will go in the book. Well, how else can the two situations be solved? Please, Mother." Rayna pleaded, and Resa looked into her daughter's eyes. She could see the desperation. It wasn't something to be taken lightly, not when it came to Rayna Folchart. In the year that they'd reconnected, and from what Mo told her, Resa knew that Rayna was a level-headed girl. She thought things through. She wouldn't have made this decision lightly. But at the same time, she'd _just_ gotten her family back. How could she bear to break it up again?

"Please, Mother. Think about when you were all alone for 12 years. What if there had been a way, but someone forbid it out of fear?" Rayna pleaded once more. Finally, after an eternity, Resa closed her eyes and rubbed her face. Looking back up at her daughter, she nodded. "Alright."

"Really?!"

Resa cracked a smile and nodded again. "Really."

"YES!" Rayna yelled out and grabbed both her parents in a large squeeze. Kissing them both, she ran out of the study room to find Dustfinger. She looked in the kitchen, the garden, and finally found him in his room.

"Dustfinger! Guess what?"

Dustfinger's heart raced as he heard Rayna calling him, and he slowly turned towards her. He saw the bright smile she had on, the brightest he'd ever seen, but he calmly said, "What is it, Rain?"

Rayna walked up to him and took his hands, her own shaking as her eyes sparkled. "You're going home!"

"What?" Dustfinger could hardly contain himself. It was finally time!

"Well, not right now. There's something I actually wanted before you all left." Rayna said, quieting down quickly.

"What? What could be so important that it couldn't wait? And what do you mean you all?" Dustfinger had only heard bits and pieces of the conversation between her and Mo, so he didn't know the whole story. By the time Rayna had explained everything, Dustfinger was standing shocked in front of her. Rayna would do that for him? Risk losing her whole family just so he could go back to his? He was suddenly overcome with shame over how he'd acted last year, leaving Resa in Capricorn's castle so he could find a way to get home. He hoped Rayna didn't know that he'd done that. Maybe if she did, she wouldn't want to help him quite so much.

"Rayna, are you sure about this? Doing this, you could lose your whole family. I don't want you to regret this." He watched her shake her head.

"I don't have any abilities, so I don't have any other way of helping you. This is the least I can do for a dear friend."

Dustfinger heard her words, and quickly pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tightly. "Thank you, Rain. Thank you." He whispered into her hair. Rayna softly hugged him back and thought, _'For you? Anything.'_

After a few minutes, Dustfinger let Rayna go and asked, "So, what's the thing you want before you set the plan into action?"

Rayna straightened herself up and said, "Well, at the moment I'm not actually a legal adult yet. So I wanted my family to stay at least until my 18th birthday. You know, to celebrate me becoming a legal adult, and just spending time with them should anything happen." Dustfinger nodded, understanding, but furrowed his eyebrows at the last part. He reached down to grab hold of her chin and lifted it up so her gaze met his. "Listen to me. Nothing's going to happen to your family. Not on my watch. You've done so much for me, convincing Silvertongue to try and send me home. I will protect them with my life."

"Hopefully not! Goodness, I wouldn't want to have gone through all that trouble sending you home only to have you die trying to protect my family." Rayna mused, but Dustfinger shook his head. "It would be an honor." Rayna looked up at her old friend smiling somewhat sadly. She really was going to miss him.

xxx

While Mo and Resa wanted to keep things quiet, Rayna refused to leave Meggie in the dark.

"No more secrets. I want her to know." Rayna said finally. So, a couple of days after the decision, Rayna and Meggie took a walk, and the older sister explained everything. By the end of it, Meggie, who had also inherited some of her sister's intelligence simply stood next to her, eyes glistening with tears. She didn't try to refuse Rayna, or try to reason with her to make a different decision. No, even Meggie understood that this was important. They could get trapped in the story. They could end up killed. They could lose their powers altogether. If any of those happened, the family would truly be broken.

"Oh, Ray!" Meggie hugged her sister tightly, trying not to cry. Rayna petted her head, hushing her and saying soothingly, "No, Meggie. Don't cry. I'm sure everything will be fine. You'll be back before you know it."

"But what if-"

"No what if's. Our family will be fine. You are the strongest Silvertongue in our family. Stronger than Mo, even. You can do this. I'm sure of it. I'll help you as much as I can, with writing the story and making it clear how you should say things, but it's going to be all you. And I know you can do it." Rayna held on tight.

As the days, and weeks went by, Rayna felt like she wanted to spend every waking minute alone with every single person in her family. But of course, she couldn't. So she allotted her time as best as she could. Her parents took her out on boat rides, renting Jet Skis for the day so they could skid across the water. Meggie stayed with her in the library, chatting about books and all sorts of things they never had a chance to talk about before. Boys, school, bullying, everything. Meggie talking about her feelings for Farid, and Rayna tried to play the 'older sister' role by giving her advice, despite her lack of experience. Dustfinger took her out to the city, window shopping, gondola rides, and cafes. The only person she didn't spend time with was Farid, but that was only because they really didn't have much in common, and she had no idea how to talk to him without Meggie, and she knew the feeling was mutual.

Finally, the day of her 18th birthday came. Rayna woke up to the smell of crepes and whipped cream. Dressing quickly, she shoved all the sad and depressing thoughts out of her mind. Today was her birthday! She was 18, an adult. She should be thrilled. She ran down the stairs, unable to stop in time, so she was flung head first into Dustfinger, who opened his arms just in time to catch her. Spinning her around, Dustfinger chuckled before setting her down.

"Ah, it's the birthday girl! Happy birthday, Rain." Dustfinger hugged her softly before letting go of her. Rayna grinned up at him and said, "Today's the big day! Excited?" She wondered if she was overdoing it. She should be happy for him right? He was going home. She shouldn't feel sad.

Dustfinger tilted his head to the side and said thoughtfully, "I'm more nervous than excited right now. It's been so long." What if his daughters didn't recognize him? Would Roxanne still be waiting for him? 13 years was a long time to be a single mother. What would he do if she was remarried? As the thought, he felt Rayna poke him in the side. "Hey! No worrying. Everything will be just fine. I promise." Dustfinger grinned down at her and nodded. He just might believe her.

xxx

"Damn...stupid...freaking…Italy! When I get back to Motley Folk, I'm going to have to soak my feet in ice for weeks! Stupid gravel roads. Why did the Folcharts have to live on a hill of all places? Inconsiderate twits." Capricorn grouched, heaving his heavy (and very dirty) pack over his shoulder as he trudge up the hill. It was early evening, and he was at the bottom of yet another hill that led up towards the mansion that was the Folcharts' residence. Tonight, he would get home once and for all. What good was this world when he had no one that served him? No, back home he could have countless servants and loyal men. He was going home. No matter the cost.

xxx

It was now the end of the night, and Rayna had begun to have the dreaded feeling that she had to say goodbye soon. Her family had spent the day all together, celebrating her birthday and just spending time with each other. It was possible that something could go wrong and people might get lost in transit, so this day was a celebration of having a family. Finally, as the day closed, Rayna motioned everyone out into the garden, wheeling Aunt Elinor out in her wheelchair. Aunt Elinor had grown weak in mere weeks, especially after hearing that most of her family would be gone. It was as if her will to remain strong had vanished, and she was now simply the vulnerable woman that she actually was, no shields up around her. Rayna wheeled her aunt over to a comfortable spot on the porch and tucked in her blanket around the chair.

Turning to the rest of the group, she said simply, "Well, I suppose it's time." She looked around, from Mo and Resa, to Farid and Meggie, to Dustfinger. Smiling as best as she could with tears already pricking her eyes, Rayna walked up to her parents and hugged them each tightly, both of them doing the same.

"We'll be back soon." Mo promised.

"We love you so much, sweetheart." Resa said softly, her eyes also red with tears. Rayna blinked rapidly to try and slow down her own tears, but they had already begun to fall. Next, she moved onto Farid and Meggie.

"Wait for us, Ray. We'll be back before you know it." Meggie cried out, hugging her sister tightly. Farid's eyes were red too, although all he could do was awkwardly stand by and watch the sister hold each other. Rayna lifted Meggie's chin up to look at her and said, "Be careful there. I pray that you won't be separated, but if you are, use your wits. Be smart, and be safe. Promise me." She watched Meggie nod tearfully before she raised her gaze to meet Farid's. "Take care of her. She's the only little sister I have." Farid nodded vehemently. "I promise." Rayna nodded before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Dustfinger. Last but most certainly not least.

Dustfinger looked on as Rayna said her goodbyes, and his heart hurt for her. He knew how difficult it was to part from his family, and he'd done it unwillingly. To have her willingly do so, so that he could have a shot of finding his own, it was humbling. He watched her finally reach him, her eyes and face wet with tears. They stood looking at each other for a moment before she finally broke down and pulled him into a hug with a small whimper. Dustfinger's heart clenched as he heard her cry. For him? He didn't deserve her tears.

"Take care of yourself, Dustfinger. I-I'll always remember you." Rayna let her guard down just a little, sobbing just a little. She felt Dustfinger's arms around her tighten and heard him softly say, "And I you, Rayna Elinor Folchart."

Rayna let go of Dustfinger, wiping her eyes before she reached into her pocket and pulled out the storyline that Meggie would need to read.

xxx

Capricorn creeped around the mansion, closer to the voices. He watched the Folcharts, the Arabian Nights boy, and that blasted Dustfinger go through what looked like goodbyes. And then he heard the unfamiliar girl say to little Meggie, "Here. Read this. It'll bring all of you into Inkworld."

Inkworld! That's what they call his world in this one. Capricon had to resist the urge to rush in. No, it wouldn't do him any good if he didn't have surprise on his side. So he watched the group.

"You need to join hands. It's not fool-proof, but hopefully if you're holding hands, you won't be separated and end up in different part of Inkworld." Rayna explained, and the group nodded. On the porch, Aunt Elinor snorted. "Holding hands. Bunch of hippies, are you?"

"But Ray, if I'm holding hands, how do I read?" Meggie asked confusedly. Rayna thought for a moment before she said, "Mo, hold onto Meggie's shoulder, Dustfinger, you keep holding her other hand. Meggie, how's that?" Meggie nodded, and began to read.

"And so, the Folcharts Mo, Resa, and Meggie, the Arabian Nights boy Farid, and the Inkworld-"

"Thank you, that's quite enough." A slithery voice sounded out and everyone turned towards the source. Capricorn, sword drawn, sauntered over to the group, who immediately broke their circle to face him. His villainous smile sent a shiver down Rayna's back. Of course she recognized him. He was just as she'd imagined him to be from the times she'd read _Inkheart._ She looked around at the group before she turned back to Capricorn.

"What do you want?"

Capricorn's ugly face swiveled over to meet her glare, his smile widening. He mock-bowed and said, "Ahh, such a pretty missy. I'll do you a favor and answer your question. I'm here to go home."

"Well you can't." Rayna said stubbornly. Capricorn's eyes glinted in amusement.

"Oh, can't I? I think I can." In a flash he'd grabbed Rayna and pressed the cold steel of his blade against her throat. She could feel his hot breath against her neck, and she fought the urge to shudder.

"Now, then, where were we? Ah, yes. Dear little Meggie was about to read aloud. What a lovely voice you have. Continue. And the rest of you, get back in that circle you were just in." Capricorn's voice sounded slimy and dangerous at the same time.

"No! Let go of my sister!" Meggie cried out. Capricorn's eyes grew wide. "Sister? My my, so this is little Rayna! You grew up so well. If only you could accompany us to Inkworld. Too bad, you would have made a lovely bride." Rayna felt sick, but looked at the group and nodded as best as she could without cutting herself. What was the harm? The story held no mention about Capricorn, so he wouldn't get transported, right?

"It's alright, Meggie. Just read." She kept her eyes on Meggie, ignoring her parents and Dustfinger. If she even looked at them, she'd lose herself to the fear.

Meggie slowly continued reading, her eyes wide and hands shaking. "A-and s-so, the Folcharts Mo, Resa, and Meggie, the Arabian Nights boy Farid, and the Inkworld fire-dancer Dustfinger were transported into the land known as Inkworld, where Dustfinger-" Capricorn quickly let go of Rayna and slashed Dustfinger's hand, making him howl in pain and let go of Meggie, allowing Capricorn to step in and take his place, grabbing hold of Meggie's unwitting hand just as she said, "-found his wife and children once more."

With a bright flash and a whoosh the circle of people was gone, Capricorn having taken the place that was rightfully Dustfinger's. Dustfinger, having realized what had happened, stared blankly at the space that was previously occupied for a split second before he leapt up, his hand outreached.

"No, no, no, no, no! Come back! Come _back_! Noo!" Dustfinger cried out, dropping to the ground as he fell apart. Rayna stared in shock at what had just happened. How…? Vaguely, she heard herself speak.

"Dustfinger, I-" She drew in a sharp breath as she saw Dustfinger whirl around, his eyes truly fiery with anger.

"You." He slowly advanced towards her, and for the first time in her life, she was afraid of him. "You. _You_ did this. _You_ created this great plan that had a giant loophole. How could you? You knew how much I wanted to go home! How could you make it so easy to infiltrate the story? Why, _why_?!" He was now fully in front of her, both of them ignoring Aunt Elinor's shouts over on the porch.

"I-I" Rayna stammered, eyes wide with fear.

"I-I" Dustfinger imitated cruelly. "You what? What, too scared to face what you've done?" He was blind with fury, not caring what he was saying anymore. His last and only hopes of ever going home had just left him alone in this world.

"I'm s-sorry. I'm so sorry." Rayna stuttered out, tears flowing out of her eyes again. Dustfinger snorted in disgust. "You're sorry? Well, unlike stories, 'sorry' isn't going to bring them back, now is it?" Rayna flinched at his tone and said pleadingly, "Dustfinger, I'm sure once they realize what's happened, they'll come back-"

"And what if they don't? Or they can't? What then? I'm stuck here for the rest of my godforsaken life?" Dustfinger snapped at Rayna, and she fell silent. Dustfinger looked at her for a few moments before he began walking away, fast. He had to get some air. Away from Rayna. From anything that reminded him of the Folcharts.

"Dustfinger..? Dustfinger, where are you going? Dustfinger!" Rayna called out to him, worried, but she received no response. Finally, when she could no longer see him, she slumped on the grass and bent her head down to cry. The plan had failed. She'd really done it now. Not only had she lost her family, she'd also lost Dustfinger his only chance of ever going home. What was she going to do?

xxx

After a couple of hours of waiting, Rayna went into the house, helped Aunt Elinor get into bed, and sat in the living room, opposite the main door, waiting for Dustfinger to come home. She waited, and waited, until somewhere along the lines, she fell asleep. When she woke up the next morning, she knocked on Dustfinger's door.

"Dustfinger? Can I come in?" Rayna walked into the guest room. Immediately, she knew something was wrong. His worn out coat that he wore so much was not on the bed. His drawstring bag that he carried his change of clothes in was also missing. She threw open the wardrobe doors to find the hangers completely bare. It was like he was never there. Quickly, Rayna raced down the stairs, looking in the library, the kitchen, the garden, even Mo's study. Nothing. He was gone. And then it hit her. He must have come back sometime while she was asleep. He had to have seen her, he couldn't have missed her on the couch since he had to walk right past her. So, he'd walked right past her, gathered his things, and left without a trace. No goodbye, no note, nothing. It was like when she was 14 again, when he'd left without a telling her. At least that time, Mo had been there to soften the blow. Now, it was just her, and she couldn't breathe.

"Gods, child. Breathe, breathe! Here, a paper bag. There you go." Aunt Elinor walked in with her cane. She'd seen how distraught last night's events had been for her, and she could see how deep the girl's feelings for that fire-eater was. He actually had the audacity to leave without saying goodbye! She'd always known that he was no good, but this was just cruel. She awkwardly patted the girl's back softly, saying soothing things like "It'll all be alright. Time heals all wounds. It hurts now, but soon it'll just be a memory." All the while, Rayna cried into her aunt's (and only relative's) shoulder.

**xxx**

As Rayna snapped out of her thoughts, she realized that she'd arrived home. She'd gone from the coffee shop to window shopping (although she didn't remember what she'd looked at) to home. She still lived in Aunt Elinor's mansion, though the dear old lady had passed away nearly 2 years ago. Tiredly, she opened the mansion doors and quietly said to no one in particular, "I'm home." She took off her shoes and walked into the kitchen, removing the hair clip that held her hair in place and wiggling her fingers through her hair to loosen it up. She took out a bottle of wine from the storage and opened it, pouring some into a wine glass. She turned away, about to take a sip, when something caught her eye. She lowered the glass and looked at the doorway, her eyes wide.

"Dustfinger…?"

Dustfinger stepped into the room, watching the woman he'd known as a girl. "Rayna. I'm back."

- TBC

Author's Note: Sooo! what do you think? First chapter, woo! By the way, just a heads up, this story isn't going to be super long (unlike my OCxKakashi story Coming Home, which will probably be in the 40s by the time it's done). I'm thinking probably 5 chapters, definitely no longer than 10 chapters for the first story without the alternate ending. The alternate ending will either be 1 really long chapter after the original *sad* one, or it'll be 2 medium sized ones after the original. Not sure yet. Oh, and I thought you should know, my inspiration for the original 'sad' story is from the Katy Perry song The One That Got Away. The alternate ending's inspiration was Taylor Swift's Mine. Both are songs that I adore atm, but I won't make this a lyric fic. Lastly, I haven't mentioned Rayna's age. That will happen in the next chapter. Anyhoo, please review! Reviews make me write faster, just saying. And I'm not even kidding about that. When I get reviews I have the urge to write more. Otherwise, I'll think you guys don't like my work. And even if you don't, at least tell me why, so I can change it!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Rayna Folchart, this plot, and anything else I've added to the original story.

Please note that I will be switching between our 'real' world, and Inkworld. I will be calling our world Earthworld, to avoid any confusion. Also, because I forgot to mention this in the last chapter, this story is pure romance. There won't be much of a subplot, just because. Sometimes a girl/guy just wants to read some romance without all the other distractions, am I right? Or maybe it's just me….hmmm...anyway, onto the story!

* * *

Previously on Fire and Rain:

_"Dustfinger…?"_

_Dustfinger stepped into the room, watching the woman he'd known as a girl. "Rayna. I'm back."_

And now…

* * *

Rayna stared at the man in front of her, unsure of whether it was her imagination playing tricks on her. Maybe she'd drunk a little too much coffee, or reminisced a little too much, and he was just a fake. But as she stared at him, she realized that he was different. His hair was lighter. It had been a smidgen lighter than his original ginger hair the last time they met, when the Folcharts were together. But now, it was even lighter, practically blond. Not to mention his face was gaunt, hollow, like the shell of the man she knew. Or thought she did, because the man she thought she knew would never have left her without saying goodbye. So then where did that leave her?

Dustfinger took in the girl-no, woman, standing before him. The last time he'd seen her, she'd been just beginning to go into womanhood. How many years had it been? She'd gained a little weight, no longer the borderline-underweight girl, but rather a woman with some meat, although she was by no means overweight. Instead of dressing in tight jeans and t-shirts, she now wore a black business suit with a maroon shirt. Her glasses were no longer purple half-rimmed ones, now a black metallic square frame that made her face look much too serious. Her grey eyes were tired and worn out, her feet in heels several inches high, so that she now stood at his height. Yes, she had changed. Again.

"Dustfinger. What are you doing here?" _'After all this time?'_

Dustfinger flinched at her tone, though not harsh, wasn't kind either. He moved closer, walking until he was within arm's reach of her. "I came back." He saw surprise flicker in her grey eyes before it settled into something much more weary.

"Why?" Rayna wasn't sure if she was making this stuff up, but she was suddenly so tired. Seeing Dustfinger after all this time, it was dredging up emotions she'd put to rest years ago. She walked over to the table in the kitchen and sat down, swirling the wine in the glass for a minute before she took a sip. Wine always helped calm her down, and right now, she really needed it. She watched Dustfinger approach the table, his gaze on her making her feel exposed. Taking another sip, she raised an eyebrow at Dustfinger, waiting for him to proceed.

Dustfinger watched Rayna walk over to the table and sit down. How had she changed so much? Her walk, her posture, the way she crossed her legs at the ankles rather than at the knees. She'd grown up. And since when did she drink wine? He crossed over to the table and took a seat himself, noticing that she didn't object. What should he say? That he was sorry for how he reacted the last time they were together? That he'd gone searching for meaning in his life only to find his heart hollow? That he'd come back in hopes that maybe Mo, Resa, or Meggie, someone had come back? He didn't know what to say.

Rayna watched Dustfinger for several minutes, sipping her wine until it was finished. Not saying a word, she got up and picked up the rest of the bottle, and walked out of the kitchen, picking up her briefcase and walking up the stairs into her room. If he wasn't going to talk, she wasn't going to force him. She'd had to grow up since he left all those nights ago, and she wasn't going to be nice and still while he worked out his issues.

_'Five years. You'd think it was enough time to work out your life.'_ Rayna thought.

Dustfinger watched the girl-turned-woman walk out of the kitchen and up the stairs, towards her bedroom. After a moment of hesitation, he got up to follow her. He walked up the staircase, remembering so many different memories. Ones where Silvertongue and Resa and Meggie had been in this world. Ones where Farid was the boy who followed him everywhere, chattering on nonstop, sparking fire in his hands. Ones where he had been happy. He reached Rayna's bedroom and stood at the doorway, watching her look over some papers as she sipped some more wine.

"I didn't know you liked wine so much."

Rayna glanced up at Dustfinger, pausing from going over case files, before she glanced at the glass in her hand. Pursing her lips, she said quietly, "It's been 5 years. There are a lot of things you don't know about me."

Dustfinger watched her drink some more before he walked into the bedroom. Even this room was different. The air of the room felt heavier, as if it had grown old in the time he'd been away. Pictures of him and her laughing together were no longer on the dresser. The one family picture the Folcharts had taken as soon as they'd reunited was also missing. In their places was empty space. It was like a projection of her own heart. She'd locked away everything that reminded her of the past. Dustfinger knew the feeling. It was why he never kept mementos. When he travelled, all he had was his pack, and the only things inside were clothes. In this world, carrying reminders of who he wasn't, was useless to him. But although he knew that, it hurt him deeply to see that the sweet little girl he'd once known had grown up to learn the same harsh lessons he'd had to. In this world, you couldn't depend on anyone but yourself. And he had to remind himself, he was the one who had taught her that lesson personally. Leaving her had made her grow up.

He looked at her now, taking in her blank, emotionless face, and he finally spoke. "Where is Elinor? I haven't heard or seen her in the house."

Rayna looked up at the man she'd once called her friend, and said, "She died. Nearly two years ago." Dustfinger nodded. They stayed like that for a long moment, just looking at each other. Finally, he said, "I'm sorry. For leaving you."

Rayna heard his apology, but turned away, sighing. She finished her second glass of wine and spoke while looking at the case files. "Like I said. It's been 5 years. I got over it." She felt her throat begin to tighten despite herself, but she forced herself to remain calm. She stared down criminals in her daily life (albeit petty crime). She could handle talking to an old friend who'd left her. Seeing as Dustfinger didn't look like he was going to say anything more, Rayna stood up, taking the bottle of wine and the glass back down into the kitchen. It was time to make dinner. Over her shoulder, she asked, "Are you staying for dinner?" She made it sound casual, as if she wasn't wondering if he would disappear in the second she let her guard down.

Dustfinger followed her back into the kitchen, watching her rinse the glass and take out ingredients. Quietly, he said, "I'd like that." She'd never cooked for him before, although he supposed she'd had to learn while taking care of her great-aunt Elinor. He stayed in the doorway, giving her room to cook while watching her move. She was confident yet mature, unlike the childish confidence she'd still had when he'd last seen her. He watched her cook, the smell wafting over to him and making his stomach churn with hunger. Too soon, it seemed, she was bringing a bowl of seafood risotto to the table. She turned back to fill another bowl, carrying it out and up the stairs into her room again. Dustfinger looked at the table set for one, and realized that she wasn't coming down to eat with him. Exhaling, he sat down at the table and began to eat. He wouldn't push her. He knew he'd been wrong, and she deserved the chance to be angry at him.

Rayna ate her food quickly, hardly tasting it as her mind became a blank canvas. Dustfinger was just downstairs eating. What was he doing here? All he'd said was that he was sorry for leaving her. What did _that_ mean? How long was he going to stay? Would he be gone after eating his food? She was getting dizzy. Sighing, she laid her head down on her pillow and closed her eyes. She was drained.

Some time later, Rayna was woken up by the sound of knocking on her door.

"Rayna, can I come in?" She silently stared up at the ceiling, ignoring Dustfinger when he walked in and made his way around the bed beside her. She kept her eyes straight on the ceiling as he stared down at her, not moving as he sighed and said, "I'm really sorry, Rain. I shouldn't have blamed you. I know it wasn't your fault that things didn't work out. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

Dustfinger waited for a reaction from Rayna, but all he got was silence. Kneeling down beside her, he reached out to touch her shoulder. "Rain…?" As soon as he made contact, she twisted away from him, turning onto her side so that she faced away from him.

"I'd like to be left alone." Rayna muttered, knowing that he'd be able to hear her. After a few seconds she heard him rustling to get up, the door closing quietly, and soon she was left alone again. Rolling back on her front, Rayna closed her eyes, her eyebrows furrowed as a single tear escaped her right eye.

The next morning, Rayna woke up and got dressed, getting ready for work. Wearing her usual grey pant suit with a deep purple dress shirt and black pumps, she walked down the stairs, briefcase in her hand. She walked into the kitchen only to stop short when she saw Dustfinger standing over the table, setting down two plates of food.

Dustfinger looked up, hearing Rayna come downstairs, and saw her stop short at the kitchen doorway. He set down the two plates and turned to her, saying "Good morning. Are you going somewhere?"

Rayna looked from the food to his face before she said plainly, "It's Monday, I have to work." Dustfinger was overcome with the realization that she'd graduated from university already, and was now a working adult. He gestured to the seat across from him and said, "Breakfast?"

Rayna placed her briefcase on the kitchen counter and unbuttoned her blazer as she sat down. Picking up her fork, Rayna said, "Thank you" before she began to eat the scrambled eggs on toast that he'd made for them both. Dustfinger smiled despite himself. Somewhere, the same polite Rayna he used to know was still inside of her. It was a relief to know that she wasn't completely different. Digging into his own food, Dustfinger asked, "So, where do you work?" He remembered she was interested in criminology when she was in university.

"I'm a prosecutor in an English court in the city."

"A prosecutor?" Dustfinger didn't understand what that was, as the version of the law in Inkworld was completely different from that in this one. Rayna explained what she did, and he nodded, somewhat understanding. After that, they ate in silence, which ended with Rayna finishing her food and dropping the plate in the sink. Dustfinger immediately stood up after her, asking, "When will you be back?" Rayna turned back to look at him and said, "Early evening. Around 6 or so." She refused to ask him if he would still be here when she came back, but it seemed he understood her anyways.

"I'll be here." Dustfinger promised. Their eyes connected for a moment before Rayna turned away and walked out of the mansion, starting the engine of her car through the click of the key button thing that came with it. Dustfinger watched her leave in silence. She still hadn't forgiven him, and this coldness between them was hurting him.

xxx

Over the next several days, Dustfinger tried to regain the connection he'd once had with the elder Folchart sibling. He made small talk, commented on little things, asked questions about her life, but only received cold, simple answers that left him emptier. He found out that Darius, the stuttering Silvertongue, came twice a week to clean up the library and straighten up, paying homage to his mistress Elinor. Finally, one day, he gathered up the courage to ask the question he'd wanted to know from the moment he stepped through the threshold of the mansion days ago.

"Have you heard anything from Silvertongue, Resa, Meggie, or Farid?" Rayna looked up from her book, putting it down on her lap slowly. Dustfinger could see that her eyes showed great sadness at the mention of her family.

"Resa and Mo died."

"What? How?" Dustfinger whispered, horrified.

Rayna ran her fingers through her hair and said, "It happened a few weeks after they...well, after they went into the book. I was reading _Inkheart_, and I noticed that the story had changed. They were in the story somehow. The story says that they were hanged for treason after they fought against the Shadow and Capricorn, who became the leader of some group and took over most of the land." Rayna spoke in a low voice. She'd already shed so many tears over their deaths.

"But how did the story change?"

"I don't know, but I think, because Fenoglio is the author of the book, he can rewrite parts of the story, or add to it as he sees fit. Maybe it was him trying to send a message to me, I don't know. All I know is that no one's come back in the 5 years that they've been gone." _ 'Not even you.' _Rayna thought bitterly. Dustfinger, hearing her tone, reached towards her, touching her hand.

"Rayna, I'm so sorry."

Rayna snatched her hand away from him, scooting away. "Don't." She picked up her book and began reading again, ignoring him. Dustfinger, hurt, simply got up and made his way to the garden. They were dead. Dead. But what about Meggie and Farid? He couldn't believe the powerful Silvertongue Mortimer Folchart and his wife Theresa were dead. He sat down on the back porch and bent his head down to mourn. He prayed that Meggie and Farid were safe, that Mo and Resa weren't captives of the White Women. And like always, he prayed that Roxane and his two daughters, Brianna and Rosanna were safe.

xxx

Over the next few weeks, it seemed that the seasons had changed drastically from warm fall to winter. Suddenly, it was below 0 degrees, and the winds were increasing in speed. Several times, Rayna noticed Dustfinger coughing, but she dismissed it as a slight cold. But then one day, Rayna was stumbling in from a particularly windy evening when she noticed Dustfinger on the couch. Not taking much notice, she was about to walk right past him when she saw that he was sweating slightly, and his face was red, as if he had a fever. Eyebrows furrowed, Rayna walked to him and kneeled beside him, placing a hand on his forehead. Immediately, she pulled back with a hiss. His forehead was so hot! Suddenly, Dustfinger let out a low moan that turned into a raging cough. Okay, now she was worried.

"Darius! Darius, are you still here?" Rayna called out, quickly taking off her jacket and shoes. She heard shoes stumbling over each other, and turned to see Darius hobbling down the stairs. He was probably in the library cleaning up or something.

"Y-yes, M-m-mis-s Ra-ay-na?" He'd gained a habit of calling Elinor 'Madam', and Rayna 'Miss', despite the latter's protests. Rayna turned back to Dustfinger, her hands moving over his face and neck, trying to cool him. "Call Dr. Marcello, tell him he needs to come here right now. Dustfinger's really sick, and I don't think it's just a cold."

"Yes, M-miss Rayna." Darius walked as fast as he could into the kitchen to get the phone number. He'd had a bit of a fall a few years back, hurting his hip, and he hadn't quite been able to walk the same ever since.

Rayna focused her attention on Dustfinger, who had begun to mutter unintelligibly. Thinking quickly, she helped him out of his shirt, softly soothing him as he groaned in discomfort. She ran to the hallway closet to get towels, and came back to wipe him down. As she tried to ease his discomfort a little, she caught bits a pieces of what he said.

"Roxane…Roxane…" Dustfinger moaned in his sleep, and Rayna's heart clenched. Gritting her teeth, she tried not to react. Finally she was done, and she moved away from him, only to have him reach out and grab her hand blindly, rasping out, "Don't leave, Roxane! I love you, I love you…" Rayna stared down at him, but luckily she was saved from having to respond by a series of knocks on the door. Running over, she threw it open and ushered Aunt Elinor's general doctor into the house.

The doctor, who had been paid quite a good deal of money by the late Elinor to live very close to the Folchart mansion, quickly looked over Dustfinger, used to seeing people in the odd hours of the night. After nearly 10 minutes, he put away his stethoscope and turned to Rayna.

"Miss Folchart, it seems this man has pneumonia. Now, it's not so severe that it's life-threatening, but he will need to take these antibiotics and stay in bed for several days. You can get these antibiotics in the pharmacy at the bottom of the hill, and he should begin taking them as soon as possible." Dr. Marcello spoke in excellent English as he handed her a prescription note with several scribbles on it. Rayna listened to him and nodded.

"Thank you so much, Dr. Marcello."

"Not at all. See that he takes his medication. Good night, Miss Folchart, Mr. Darius." The doctor left, and Rayna turned to Darius.

"Darius, could you please stay and look after Dustfinger? I'm going to go to the pharmacy and get these medications for him."

Darius nodded, and Rayna looked back at Dustfinger, who was still holding Rayna's hand for all it was worth. She softly pried herself loose from him and laid a hand on his feverish brow. _'I'll be back soon.'_

"Roxane…" Dustfinger murmured in his sleep, unaware of what was going on. Rayna quickly picked up her jacket and left to get his drugs.

xxx

It had been 3 nights and 2 days since Rayna found Dustfinger on the couch. Since then, she'd moved him up to his room, with the help of Darius of course. She kept watch over him, taking days off work with the excuse of having to look after a family member. Because truly, he was part of the family, albeit an estranged member. She slept at his bedside, waking to feed him and administer his medicine. Darius helped out as well, deciding to move in for a few days, until Dustfinger was better. He helped him use the washroom, bathe, and the like. But now, it was the third day since that night, and Rayna was once again slumped over, asleep, her head pillowed by her arms on the side of his bed, her dark brown hair fanned out over her shoulders.

Dustfinger woke up groggy, only able to remember bits and pieces of what had happened over the last few days. He remembered flashes of Rayna feeding him, giving him pills he'd gagged on, and soothing him. Her voice, while he didn't remember much, had sounded soft, caring, like it used to. As he looked around his room, he noticed her shape next to him, her head resting on her arms on his bedside. He smiled at first, only to frown when he realized she was talking in her sleep. She seemed to be having nightmare.

"Don't…please…don't go…I love, you...Dusty...no…" Rayna mumbled in her sleep, and Dustfinger reeled back in shock. She loved him? How could she love him? It had been 5 years. Sure, he'd known that she'd had a crush on him before, but this was different. He couldn't very well say that she didn't know what love was, considering she was 23. But him? If she was so in love with him, why did she act as if she hated him? But as he thought, Rayna began to stir awake.

She lifted her head and blinked the sleep out of her eyes, looking up at Dustfinger. After a moment, she realized what she was looking at, and she was fully awake.

"Dustfinger, you're awake! How do you feel?" Rayna, forgetting that the last time he'd seen her she'd been angry at him, reached up to touch her forehead against his to feel his temperature. The moment their heads made soft contact, Rayna realized what she was doing. She stared into his deep blue eyes for a split second before she pulled back quickly. "Sorry. You're not warm, how do you feel?"

Dustfinger looked at the girl, not quite believing that she was so...normal. After a beat, he said, "I'm much better, thank you." He watched Rayna nod, and he reached out to take hold of her hand. "Thank you, Rayna. But what happened?"

"You had pneumonia." Rayna explained. Dustfinger's eyebrows raised in shock. "Pneumonia? Then how am I still alive?"

"Medication. I asked Aunt Elinor's doctor to come over and look at you, and he told us to use some antibiotics." Rayna explained. Dustfinger nodded in understanding. "Amazing. If we were in Inkworld, I would have died."

Rayna nodded awkwardly. "Yes, well...do you feel up to eating some breakfast?" Dustfinger's stomach growled, and Rayna's mouth twisted in an unwilling smile. She got up and said, "I'll go make something for you to eat."

Dustfinger gripped her hand tighter, pulling her back. "Rain...for how I acted before...I...I'm sorry." He watched Rayna turn and look back at him, her eyes searching his face for any tell of a lie.

Finding none, she sat down on his bed, her head bent low to shield herself, and she spoke just barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry too. It was my fault. I should have been more careful, I should have thought of the possibility-" As she spoke, her voice grew louder and higher, her eyes wide as she opened her box of regret in her heart. Dustfinger quickly hushed her, saying, "No, no. It wasn't. It was never your responsibility to bring me home-"

"But it was!" Rayna cried out, her voice breaking from emotion, and she felt Dustfinger pull her onto the bed, his arms around her tightly.

"No, it wasn't. It wasn't your responsibility to bring me home. You did so much for me, convincing Silvertongue and Resa to allow this-"

"And all for nothing! If I'd been more careful, you'd be-" Rayna felt tears slide down her cheeks and she began to sob.

"Shh, it's not your fault. No one could have predicted that Capricorn would come at the last second. Please, Rain, please don't cry." Dustfinger rocked the girl in his arms, speaking softly into her hair as she cried, his own heart hurting as well. Rayna's sobs slowly faded and she began hiccupping into his shoulder. After a few hiccups, after she'd regained some of her breath, she pulled away from him, wiping her face with the back of her hands.

"And then you left."

Dustfinger cringed inwardly at her sharp tone, despite her dishevelment. He dropped his arms and instead reached again for her hands, holding her slender ones in his large ones. He looked into her accusing eyes and nodded. "I did. I'm so sorry."

"Why? Why did you go?" Rayna watched him have an inward battle before he spoke again.

"It was too much. Knowing that it had been so close, only to have my family taken from me yet again, and now with no way of going back, it was too much." Dustfinger spoke honestly, but while Rayna understood, she still couldn't forgive him.

"But how could you leave without saying goodbye?" Rayna hated herself for being about to cry again, her voice all squeaky and high like a child. "I waited for you all night. I fell asleep _on the couch_ waiting for you. And the next thing I know, it's morning, and your stuff is all gone. What was that?"

Dustfinger clearly remembered that night. He'd gone out to think (and curse), and came back in the early hours of the day. Seeing her asleep like that, feeling the disappointment and grief over losing his family all over again, Dustfinger had turned away from her and gotten his things and left in a matter of minutes. He remembered stopping at the end of the driveway, looking back at the house, thinking, "It's for the best. She'll understand eventually." And then he was gone. But now, seeing her confront him about it 5 years later, he truly regretted his decision. He'd left her alone to fend for herself, having to take care of a family member who would eventually die anyway. He'd been her best friend, and he'd left her. Now, Dustfinger pulled her back towards him, overpowering her when she fought against him wildly, and gripped her into his chest.

"I'm sorry. So, so sorry." He closed his eyes, hating how he was the source of her pain, and how he'd transferred his feelings so that he'd thought that she was the source of his. But he knew better now, and he was going to fix this. If he could.

"I thought you _hated_ me. I waited for you, I prayed you'd come back, but you never did. You were just..._gone_. And then, when Mo and Mother died, and you didn't come, I had no one. Aunt Elinor could never have been the same as you, you know that. And, even though we got closer, she died too. And I thought...I thought I was really alone. I had no one. Do you how hard it was? How hard it was just to stay sane? I had friends, but none like you. I had no family, I had to work while I studied. It was so hard…" Rayna sobbed into him once more, her fingers clenching tightly to the front of his shirt. She didn't care how spoiled she sounded. She'd lost her family, her best friend, all in one night, and she hadn't had a chance to properly yell at anyone about it. How could she, when Aunt Elinor was sick with cancer, and she couldn't talk to anyone else? The day she realized that he wasn't coming back, she'd begun to put everyone at arm's length. She didn't trust anyone, and she didn't let anyone in. Except Dustfinger. It would always only ever be him.

Dustfinger listened to her cry and he shook his head into hers. "No, Rain, no. I could never hate you. I was just so angry, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry Rain, please stop crying. Please, no more." He felt worse than he had in a very long time. They sat together, clinging onto each other, for a long time. Finally, they drew apart, and Dustfinger lifted Rayna's chin up to look into her red and bloodshot eyes. He cupped her face in his hands, running his thumbs behind the rims of her glasses , under her eyes, to wipe away all trace of her tears. Rayna looked at him, sniffling, and watched him reach over to his bedside table and grab a couple of tissues. He used a hand to hold the tissues to her nose and said quietly, "Blow."

Rayna stared at him, surprised. She didn't have a distinct memory, but somehow, she felt like he'd done this to her before. Tentatively, she blew softly, only to look up and see him shake his head. "Harder." She squeezed her eyes shut and blew hard. Dustfinger quirked a small smile and folded the tissue with one hand, replacing it to her nose. "Again." She repeated the action, and he threw the tissue in the wastebasket next to the bed. Turning back to her, he cupped her face once more and asked, "Better?"

Rayna looked up at him with semi-watery eyes and she nodded. She watched him smile softly and she leaned in to hug him again. Resting the side of her face against his shoulder, Rayna said, "I'm so sorry Dustfinger. I should have-"

"Shh, enough. It was never your burden to bear." Dustfinger hushed her once again.

They broke apart once more, and Rayna rose and walked towards the door. "I'll make you some food." She walked down towards the kitchen, not noticing Darius standing in the shadows as he listened. He thought back to one of Elinor's final days, and the last duty she had entrusted to him.

**xxx**

"Darius, come closer." Elinor rasped, now only skin and bones in her silk bed sheets. "You and I both know that Rayna hasn't been the same since Mortimer and the rest of them left, and then that blasted fire-eater casted her aside. But, if one day should come, when he comes back, I want you to protect her. She is a strong girl, to be sure, but she will be vulnerable."

"V-vul-nerable, madam?"

Elinor sighed. "All women are vulnerable to the ones they love. She may not know it yet, but she loves him. If one day, he comes back, I want you to take care of her. Don't let her get hurt again. You saw how he acted that night. He doesn't deserve her, but she loves him even so, foolish girl. You make sure she doesn't get hurt by him. Do whatever you need to, to keep our girl safe. Understand?"

"W-whatever is n-necessary, madam?"

"Yes. If he hurts her again, don't let him near her, because she will let him in again, and again. Promise me, Darius." Elinor seldom, if ever, pushed so hard for something that would not benefit her, but she'd grown fond of the girl who'd worked tirelessly to take care of her and be in university. She would not have (what for all she knew could be) her only family be mistreated.

**xxx**

Over the next few days, Dustfinger and Rayna were growing close once more. Rayna was still somewhat wary, and kept her distances at times, but for the most part, they were on the up and up.

"So, how come your hair's turned blond?" Rayna asked one day. Dustfinger was in the garden, practicing his fire performances, and she was sitting on the ground watching him. He pulled a strand of his hair towards his field of vision before he shrugged.

"It's been getting lighter ever since I arrived."

Rayna sat up straighter. "Wait, you mean to tell me you've been getting lighter and lighter hair from the moment you arrived from Inkworld?" Dustfinger nodded, and she furrowed her eyes. "Well...how long's it going to keep lightening? Goodness, can you imagine having white hair at your age? I'll have to start calling you gramps!" Dustfinger nudged her, now sitting cross legged next to her, and they laughed. Rayna reached up and pulled a wave straight before letting it bounce back, her expression thoughtful.

"I suppose I can't to call you Ginger anymore."

Dustfinger smirked and said, "I suppose not." She rolled her eyes at him before giggling as he nudged her again.

But while they reconnected, each had their own thoughts that needed addressing. Rayna had to tell him about the secret she'd kept for nearly a year now, and Dustfinger wondered if he should tell her that he knew how she felt about him. Both worried about the consequences of their actions, but they knew they couldn't lie to each other.

And so, one evening after Rayna had come back from work (because yes, she still needed to make money), Dustfinger sat her down so they could have a little talk.

"What is it, Dusty?" Rayna had reverted back to her old nickname for him. Dustfinger looked down at her and asked, "Is anyone courting you, Rain?" Rayna burst out in laughter at his wording. "Courting? Oh goodness, Dusty, it's called dating. And no, there's no one like that in my life. Why?"

"I was wondering if you perhaps had someone in mind whom you would like to court you." Dustfinger reverted back to his old speech style, opting to use more formal speech. Rayna raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you asking me if I like someone, Dusty?" Where was this going?

"Yes, I am."

"Why?" Rayna tried to stall. She couldn't tell him the truth, but at the same time she couldn't lie. He would see it in her eyes, and if she looked away, he'd know immediately.

"Because I want to know." Dustfinger was getting impatient, but Rayna remained stubborn. "Well, I don't think it's any of your business, really." She got up and was about to walk away when she felt two hands on her shoulders.

"Rayna, I know."

"You know what?"

"I know you have feelings for me." Dustfinger felt Rayna's body stiffen, and he braced himself for the denial.

"I have no idea what-"

"You talk in your sleep." Dustfinger interrupted. Rayna twirled around, face blushing crimson.

"I do not!"

Dustfinger looked down at her and said somewhat smugly, "You do."

"W-well, that doesn't mean anything! People always say that dreams are opposites of what you really want to happen." Rayna lied blatantly, trying to salvage herself.

Dustfinger stared down at the girl and said seriously, "Rayna, tell me the truth. Do you?" He watched Rayna blush deeply before she flung his hands off of her and walked towards the stairs. He followed her quickly, calling out, "Rayna!"

"Would it matter?" Rayna's voice shook as she spoke. She felt Dustfinger come up behind her.

"What?" Dustfinger asked. Rayna turned around, her eyes sad. "Would it have mattered? If I told you, would you suddenly fall for me? If I'd told you years ago, would you have stayed? No, you wouldn't. So what does it matter if I do or don't tell you?" She bit her lip to stop it from trembling and she tried to walk up the stairs again, but Dustfinger wouldn't allow it, taking hold of her hand and spinning her back around.

"You should have told me!"

"Why?"

"Because! I-I want to know!" Dustfinger didn't know how, but suddenly they were yelling at each other. Rayna let out a biting laugh. "Oh, there it is. The male ego! You wanted to know so that you could feel good?"

"No! That's not what I meant, Rain."

Rayna sat down on the steps of the stairs, biting her lip. It was time. She had to say it now, or she would never have the courage to. He knew she cared about him, but he also deserved to know her 'other' secret. "Dustfinger, it's time I told you something." Dustfinger heard the change in her tone, and sat down beside her.

"What is it?"

Rayna took in a deep breath and began. "About a year ago, I found out I have the Silvertongue ability." She waited for him to react.

"...what?" Dustfinger couldn't believe his ears. She had the ability? How? He had so many questions for her, but she was already talking again.

"I was reading Black Beauty aloud when the mare in the story suddenly appeared in my living room. I tried with other stories, bringing out animals and plants and stuff, and it's been working pretty well."

"You're a Silvertongue...amazing." Dustfinger suddenly felt fire in his veins, as she'd given him new hope. Rayna shook her head sadly. "I know what you're thinking, Dusty, but I can't. I've tried to read the things I bring out back into their stories, but it's never worked. I'm sorry, Dustfinger. I can't send you home." And just like that, his hope was gone. If she couldn't send him home, why did she tell him?

"So then why did you tell me, Rayna?" Dustfinger struggled to not be angry. After all, she must have a reason, right?

Rayna looked up into his eyes from staring at her lap and said quietly, "If you want, I can try to bring Roxane out. Brianna and Rosanna too."

"You...you could do that?" Dustfinger asked, his hand gripping Rayna's forearms. She smiled sadly at him, her eyes filled with sadness as her mouth faked a sweet smile just for him. "When you were sick, and I was caring for you, you called me Roxane. You said how much you loved her, and how you could never love anyone else. That's when I decided for sure." She wondered if Dustfinger understood the underlying meaning to her words. She, a woman who loved him, was going to help him get his family back. Did he understand how much she'd battled herself to come to that decision?

"Now, I've never brought a person over before. I heard stories of Capricorn and the others who were brought out of _Inkheart_, and I don't want to bring out unnecessary people when I can't put them back into their stories. Animals, plants, those can be controlled easily enough. But, I'm willing to try and bring them over."

Dustfinger stared at her for a moment before he pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank you, Rayna, thank you!" To have this opportunity, he could not have been more grateful. Rayna hugged him back, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried not to cry. This would probably be the last time they could hug like this. She doubted Roxane would be understanding enough for them to have the type of close friendship they'd once had. After all, in Inkworld, the customs were much more conservative than in hers. For all she knew, this would be the last time they'd ever be alone together. Quickly, she pulled back and gave him a small smile, her throat tight as she saw his face, lit up with excitement. She got up off the stairs and walked up the rest of the way.

"I'll need to get the book, find a good place to read, and prepare. It...it's not quite the same as when Meggie or Mo did it." She stumbled over her words, but kept walking. Dustfinger nodded behind her, not quite hearing anything as he thought of Roxane, his two daughters. They would be together soon.

xxx - In Inkworld

"Brianna, Rosanna, your mother is calling for you. It's dinner time." Meggie called out from the doorway of the farm in which Dustfinger's family lived. She smiled as two young girls' heads appeared out of the side of the barn. The two girls ran towards the now-friend, and they went into the farm, sitting down at the table to eat. Meggie looked around when the door opened once more, smiling softly as Farid walked in, an ax over his shoulder. He'd been helping out again, although he was far more clumsy than helpful. Meggie looked around at the small group, remembering the past two years of her new life.

She and her parents had dropped into the town square on the night Capricorn had forced her to finish reading. Immediately, they'd been overtaken as witches, since they had dropped out of the sky. Capricorn, being a man who was well-known, albeit extremely disliked as well, had taken control of their freedom, deeming them prisoners of a faraway land that he'd conquered. When Mo and Meggie had tried to reclaim their freedom, Mo and Resa had been taken captive once more, and beheaded in front of them. Meggie, mourning the loss of her parents, had had to be dragged out by Farid, and they'd gone into hiding. That was when they found Roxane.

After weeks, if not months of travelling, and no luck going home, Meggie and Farid had stumbled upon some good people. They were street performers, called the Motley Folk. Remembering the story, Meggie had asked for Roxane, and she'd been led to the woman, who had moved away from her hometown to live in a quiet farm with her two daughters. Meggie had described their situation, describing Dustfinger and his personality to the letter so that there would be no doubt. Roxane, thought sceptical, had taken them in. And that was how Meggie and Farid began to become a part of the little family. Every day, she tried to read herself and Farid out of _Inkheart_, but nothing worked. They'd eventually met Fenoglio, who'd been travelling the world he'd created. Upon seeing people from his world, Fenoglio had agreed to rewrite _Inkheart_. Not completely, but he would include present events regarding Meggie and Farid. The thought was, if he could somehow link the two worlds through his writing, maybe Rayna could figure out a way to bring them home. Sure, she couldn't communicate back, but if there were people working in the 'real world' to get them home, it was better than nothing, right?

As Meggie thought, Roxane began serving dinner. A simple meal, yet she made sure her children wanted for nothing. She finished serving the food, and they all sat down to eat.

xxx - Earthworld

"...Oh for heaven's sake! I can practically hear you breathing out there! Come in already." Rayna exclaimed, throwing down the copy of _Inkheart_ in her hand. She waited a few seconds before she saw her bedroom door open and Dustfinger poked his head in sheepishly. Sighing, she waved him in and pointed to the foot of the bed.

"Sit down and be quiet. I need to think." Rayna said irritably. She didn't want to mess things up again. She had to look at her plan from all perspectives.

Dustfinger sat down, watching Rayna read _Inkheart_ and make notes on what she would say. Noticing, Rayna looked up and smiled apologetically. "Sorry it's taking a while. I just don't want to mess up...again. Missing body parts wouldn't be good, you know?" Dustfinger blanched at the idea of his wife or daughters coming here with missing arms or legs. He shook his head and quickly said, "It's fine. Take as long as you need. I'm sure you'll do just fine."

Rayna smiled at him before turning her attention back to her notes. She'd never brought over a human before, but she suspected that it would be more difficult than bringing over an animal or a plant. It would probably take more energy too. When she'd brought over other things, she'd felt slightly fatigued. Would she have the energy to bring 3 people over consecutively? But as she thought, she found herself looking up at Dustfinger, who was presently looking outside her window. He wanted his family back, probably more than she wanted hers, considering how long it had been for him.

Finally, she finished her notes. Reading them over once more, she thought carefully about how she would pronounce the sentences. If the intonation was off by just a bit, she could end up bringing over some random people named Roxane, Brianna, and Rosanna. She could just imagine the look on Dustfinger's face when he saw three strangers who just happened to have the same names as his family. No, this had to be perfect.

Sighing, Rayna looked up at Dustfinger and smiled. "Well, I'm done. Let's see if this works, shall we?" Dustfinger, who had come back to fidget on the bed, sat up straighter, his blue eyes bright. Rayna looked down at the script she'd written and began to read.

xxx - Inkworld

Meggie laughed with the girls as Farid told a story, Roxane hiding her smile behind a hand. Then, suddenly, there was a loud crash as the ladle she'd been holding dropped into the soup, spraying food everywhere. The group looked in Roxane's direction, only to find her chair empty.

"Mother?" Brianna and Rosanna looked around, Meggie exchanging glances with Farid. The first thing that was brought to their minds was that Roxane had been read away. But by who? Meggie quickly took control as the two sisters began to panic.

"It'll be alright, girls. I'm sure she's fine. Maybe she just stepped out for a while. She'll come back soon, I'm sure." Meggie lied, shooting worried looks at Farid, who was playing with fire again in his hands, a nervous tick he'd had even before they'd been brought to _Inkheart_. It helped him cope, comforting him like Dustfinger's presence would in the 'real' world.

xxx - Earthworld

*Flash*

Rayna immediately felt exhausted as she finished reading Roxane's part. She looked up and saw a black-haired beauty standing before her, dressed in plain clothes that only seemed to make her look even more beautiful.

"Roxane...Roxane!" Dustfinger leapt up from the bed and ran to hug his long-lost wife, who seemed to be in shock.

"Dustfinger…?" Roxane looked around. She was no longer in her farmhouse, or even in her land. She stared at her long-lost husband, who had let go of her to hug a young woman. Striding up to them, Roxane asked, "Who are you? What is going on? Dustfinger, where are we? Where are Brianna and Rosanna?" She watched Dustfinger turn his face back to her, and noticed that he had tears in his eyes.

Dustfinger felt tears begin to fall down his cheeks as he looked up at his wife. Beautiful Roxane, oh how he'd missed her! He gathered her hands in his and kissed them before saying, "I'll explain in a moment. First we have to get Brianna and Rosanna over here too. Please, my love, be patient." He turned back to Rayna and asked, "Can you bring them over?" He registered in the back of his mind the strange look on her face, as if she was about to throw herself off a cliff, but it was gone in a flash, and Rayna smiled.

"I'm just about to." Rayna had regained her breath some, having grown tired after reading Roxane out of the book. Of course, seeing Dustfinger embrace his wife, however perfect, and fairytale-like, and romantic it may be to anyone who wasn't in love with him, had not done her any good. So, she gathered her powers of concentration and turned her attention to the rest of her script. It was Brianna's turn to come out of the book.

xxx - Inkworld

"Where _is_ she?!" Rosanna cried out, tears streaming from her face as she hugged Brianna. It had been several hours since their mother's disappearance, and they had searched through the whole farm, calling out her name.

Brianna had of course noticed the odd looks between Meggie and Farid, and she was growing suspicious. When they'd first explained where they came from, Brianna had scoffed, calling them liars. Eventually, she'd grown to accept them, but this was making her doubt them again. What if their appearance had somehow made her mother disappear? True, it would be an awful long time for a side effect to occur, but it was possible. Besides, what other explanation was there?

Deciding to confront them, Brianna gently pried Rosanna's arms off of her and gently said, "I'll be right back Rosie." She petted her younger sister's head and smiled, making Rosanna stop crying. She watched her older sister turn away and walk towards the door. But in the blink of an eye, Brianna was gone. Rosanna walked towards the door, her eyebrows knitted. "Brie?" She saw the door hadn't been opened yet, which left only 1 explanation…

"No...no! No!" Rosanna cried out, and Meggie ran into the room from the kitchen. She took one look at Rosanna's face and she knew. Brianna had been taken too. Who was doing this…?

xxx - Earthworld

Rayna felt her legs give way as she panted on her bed, a sharp pain shooting through her whole body and white spots appearing in her vision as she finished reading Brianna out of _Inkheart_. As she tried to blink away the spots, she saw Brianna hug her mother and turn to tearfully hug her father. This was taking far more energy than she'd expected, but it was nearly over._ 'This is it. One more to go.'_ Rayna thought. She drew in a deep breath and began to read the final part of the script.

xxx - Inkworld

Meggie and Farid held onto Rosanna as she cried, both of them worried too. Farid noticed Rosanna begin to grow tired, but when he suggested her going to bed, she immediately refused.

"I'm not going to sleep until I find my mother and sister!" Rosanna tearfully cried out. Meggie and Farid looked at each other, but neither knew what to do. They hoped whoever was bringing them out of the book was good. Maybe Dustfinger had found a way to bring his family over. They wondered if they would be leaving this world too.

"I want my-" Rosanna began to speak, but halfway through, in front of Meggie and Farid's very eyes, she disappeared. Meggie felt Farid's arms wrap around her, and she clung to his shirt. Would they be next?

Xxx - Earthworld

"-family ba-...ack?" Rosanna finished her sentence, stumbling as she realized she wasn't at home anymore. In front of her stood her mother and sister, safe and...were they crying? She whirled around as she felt two strong arms wrap around her. Her father! She had forgotten what he looked like in the years he'd been gone, but now, of course she recognized him. Except, his hair was much lighter than before. Was it really him?

"Papa…?"

Dustfinger, tears streaming down his face, smiled down at his second daughter and held her tight. She'd grown! Her hair, dark as her mother's, cascaded down her back, and her bright blue eyes, just like his, were searching his, as if she couldn't believe he was really here. He pulled his two daughters and his wife into a tight embrace, praying that he wasn't dreaming. As he pulled away, he heard Rosanna ask, "Papa, why is there a lady asleep on the floor?"

Dustfinger turned around and saw her. "What-Rayna? Rayna!"

Rayna was on the floor, passed out.

- TBC

Author's Note: Whew! Sorry it's been taking so long! I had to take some time off from writing to figure out where I was going with this story. When I wrote the first chapter, I'd only thought about the romantic side of the story, and after some consideration, decided I wanted it to be a little more. Which means it might be a little longer than I said, but hopefully I'll be able to make it worth it! There will still be lots of angst and romance, but I'm also including more plot to the story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll try to update soon! Hopefully within 2 weeks :)


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